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OKLAHOMA SCHOOL READINESS

Oklahoma Department of Human Services Office of Planning, Research and Statistics [ DHS-OPRS ]

The present report is a special Quarterly publication that features information about school readiness risk and reach for each county in the state in a highly graphic format. The primary aim is to contribute to informed decision-making on early childhood policy and resource allocation issues across the state. As such, the report is designed with an eye toward helping program administrators, practitioners, policy makers, and other stakeholders visualize and interpret data and results quickly. This publication is a companion document to the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness 2013 Annual Report that highlights some of its results.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 INTRODUCTION 13 OKLAHOMA SCHOOL READINESS RISK INDEX: UPDATED INDICATORS AND RESULTS 28 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: REACH INDEX RESULTS 39 LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS 42 APPENDICES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report would not be possible without the efforts of numerous agencies that provided data and individuals who contributed to the planning and preparation of this report. We want to thank Debra Anderson, Director, Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation (Smart Start Oklahoma); Connie Schlittler, Director, DHS Planning, Research and Statistics division; Lesli Blazer, Director, DHS Child Care Services; Kay Floyd, Director, Head Start Collaboration Office; Head Start and Early Head Start Program Directors; Robert Harbison, OPSR Board member and community volunteer; Paul Shinn, Public Policy Analyst, & Amy Fain, OECP Manager, CAP Tulsa; Jeff Wallace, Assistant Director, Office of Educational Quality & Accountability; Kayla Hindman, Director, Early Childhood & Family Education, and Michelle Reeves, Project Coordinator for Early Childhood, Special Education Office, Oklahoma State Department of Education; Miriam McGaugh and Chelsie Melkvik, Epidemiologists, Oklahoma State Department of Health; Julia Reed, Director, Oklahoma City Educare, and Caren Calhoun, Director, Tulsa Educare.

We would like to thank Iyla Griffin, Planning, Research and Statistics division, for her dedicated work creating the maps included in the report. The report was edited by Dena Thayer, DHS Intergovernmental Relations & Policy division, and graphically designed by Kimberly Nona, DHS Design Services. Their contributions were invaluable in the preparation of the report.

This report was partially funded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through a Child Care Administrative Data Analysis Grant.

The views presented here are our own and should not be taken to reflect those of DHS or other contributing agencies.

2 Oklahoma School Readiness Reach-by-Risk Report 2014

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PURPOSE The purpose of the Oklahoma School Readiness Reach-by-Risk Report 2014 is to provide policy makers and other early childhood stakeholders with current data on factors that place children at risk of being unprepared for school and on the reach of services and programs that promote school readiness for each of the states 77 counties.

By analyzing the prevalence of certain sociodemographic indicators of school readiness, this report highlights counties where children are at high risk for starting kindergarten unprepared to learn. This issue is critical for the state and the nation as children who begin school already behind are likely to remain behind throughout their academic life, severely limiting their individual potential and perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Understanding risk alone, however, is insufficient for determining where the need is greatest. Resources can be more efficiently distributed if risk is understood in relation to the reach of early education and child care services. To achieve this goal, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) presents this report in an effort to identify gaps between the risk of starting school un-ready to learn and the reach of programs that prepare children for school. With this publication, Oklahoma joins other states in monitoring indicators of school readiness risk and reach and promoting informed policy and funding decisions related to quality early childhood education and child care.

This report is divided into two main sections, Risk and Reach. The Risk section consists of an analysis of 10 socioeconomic and demographic indicators found by empirical research to increase a childs risk of being unprepared for school. These factors are assessed for each of the states 77 counties, resulting in a county-level risk value and categorization into one of four risk categories ranging from High to Low Risk. The Reach section assesses the county-level service density of six primarily publicly funded early childhood education and four home visitation programs designed to increase the cognitive and social-emotional development of young children, in addition to several aspects of child care services, such as provider quality ratings and enrollment of children with child care subsidies in quality facilities.

METHODOLOGY The indicators highlighted in this report have been identified in the literature as factors that place children at risk of starting kindergarten already behind, are available by the county level, and are updated annually, which allows for continued monitoring. For each indicator, data at the state and county levels were collected from multiple secondary sources and reported as proportions of relevant populations (e.g., percent of live births to mothers with low levels of education).

Data were statistically analyzed using multivariate techniques to create components, or sets of factors that most closely correlated with each other and that significantly explained school readiness, with third-grade reading proficiency used as a proxy of readiness. Three sets emerged from the analysis as significantly associated with school readiness: Hispanic background, family structure and economic distress, and children in child welfare. Further analysis was conducted to assign overall risk scores to each county, group counties into quartiles based on these overall scores, and classify groups according to categories of High, High-Medium, Medium-Low, and Low Risk for poor school readiness. It is important to note that risk is based on a comparison of Oklahoma counties relative to each other, which excludes direct comparisons to other states or the nation.

Oklahoma School Readiness Reach-by-Risk Report 2014 3

Reach was assessed by requesting data for early education programs, such as Head Start (HS), Early Head Start (EHS) and the states universal pre-kindergarten program; early childhood home visitation programs, such as SoonerStart, the states IDEA Part C Early Intervention program; and child care services. Agencies contacted for data include the Oklahoma Departments of Human Services, Health and Education, and the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies and American Indian tribal governments responsible for HS and EHS programs. For all but five programs, reach ratios were calculated for each county and summarized into an index using the same methodology applied for risk, and counties were classified as High, High-Medium, Medium-Low and Low Reach on individual programs and in three indexes: Overall Reach, Education Reach and Child Care Reach. Reach data are compared to overall risk for poor school readiness for each county, which highlights counties with the greatest need for early childhood education and child care services relative to risk.

FINDINGS

RISK An average score in the High Risk category means counties have, overall, among the highest rates of socioeconomic and demographic factors known to impede school readiness. This suggests that children in these counties are more likely to be unprepared to learn when they start kindergarten and to have poor educational outcomes.

HIGH RISK: Approximately 40,896 children under age 6, or 13% of the states population of children in this age group, reside in 19 counties with the greatest concentration of risk factors. The number of factors for which counties in this group ranked as High Risk range from three to seven, with a mean of five High Risk factors.

HIGH-MEDIUM RISK: At somewhat less risk, but still of concern, are the 103,669 children (33%) who live in the 19 counties classified as High-Medium Risk. The number of factors for which counties in this group ranked as High Risk range from one to five, with a mean of three High Risk factors.

MEDIUM-LOW RISK: An estimated 94,555 children under age 6 (30%) reside in 18 counties with an even lower prevalence of risk factors, but may have moderate rates for a few factors. The number of factors for which counties in this group ranked as High Risk range from zero to three, with a mean of one High Risk factor.

LOW RISK: Twenty-one counties have the lowest level of overall risk, with 77,380 children (24%) residing in these counties. The number of factors for which counties in this group ranked as High Risk range from zero to two, with a mean of less than one High Risk factor.

OVERALL: In total, 144,565 children under age 6 live in counties classified as High Risk or High-Medium Risk for poor school readiness. This represents an estimated 46% of all children under age 6 in Oklahoma.

SCHOOL READINESS RISK FACTORS: VARIABLE SETS

HISPANIC BACKGROUND Four risk indicators are associated with being Hispanic and having limited English skills and include: percent of children under age 5 who are Hispanic/Latino, percent of pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students who are English-language learners, percent of infants born to mothers who lack a high school diploma, and percent of children under age 6 who receive Migrant Education Program services. Of Oklahoma counties, 34 (44%) were classified as High Risk on at least one indicator, with two counties scoring High Risk on all four indicators.

FAMILY STRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DISTRESS Four risk indicators are associated with poverty and family structure and include: percent of children under age 6 living under 100% of the federal poverty level, percent of children under age 6 living in households headed by single parents, percent of infants born to mothers between the ages of 10 and 19, and percent of children under age 5 who are American Indian/ Alaskan Native. Of Oklahoma counties, 40 (52%) were classified as High Risk on at least one indicator, with five counties scoring High Risk on all four indicators.


CHILDREN IN CHILD WELFARE Two risk indicators are associated with child welfare and include: percent of children under age 6 who have experienced abuse and neglect, and percent of children under age 6 in DHS custody. Of Oklahoma counties, 24 (31%) were classified as High Risk on at least one indicator, with 14 counties scoring High Risk on both indicators.

REACH An average score in the High Reach category means counties have high rates of reach for particular programs and services or in combination. A positive correlation was found between overall reach and risk, meaning that as risk increases, so does reach. The same results were obtained for the education Reach Index, but not for the child care Reach Index, for which High Risk counties are not served at a significantly higher rate than lower risk counties. A handful of counties at greatest risk are in the lowest reach group.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION The greatest reach for early childhood education programs is among High Risk counties that serve a considerably greater proportion of children in HS, EHS and publicly funded pre-kindergarten than all other risk groups. In addition, children in High Risk counties have the highest rate of full-day pre-kindergarten attendance. The High-Medium Risk group serves a similar rate of children in pre-kindergarten and HS as lower risk counties, and, with the fewest number of counties with EHS, the lowest rate of children in this program.

CHILD CARE The High Risk group ranks at the bottom of several child care indicators. Although these counties have the highest rate of child care centers of all licensed providers, they have the lowest rate of quality providers with Two and Three Star ratings and the lowest overall and quality capacity rates for serving children under age 6 with working parents. Further, High Risk counties have one of the lowest rates of child care providers that contract with DHS to accept child care subsidy payments. High Risk counties have the lowest rate of subsidy enrollment of total contractor capacity and the lowest rate of subsidy enrollment at Two and Three Star providers.

HOME VISITATION Home visitation reach could only be determined for Oklahoma Parents as Teachers (OPAT), which serves 27 counties. The High Risk group has the fewest counties (four) and the lowest rate of children served.

CONCLUSION As the overall risk classification is a summary measure, it does not capture the complexity of school readiness risk for each county. To fully understand issues facing each county, a summary of risk classifications is provided in the appendix. While data on the reach of early childhood programs allows for a comparison of risk and service levels for each county, it is important to note that reach data are limited by the potential inclusion of duplicated numbers of children and by including only the largest programs that benefit young children.

This report relies on those indicators described in the literature and evidenced in the analysis as having a significant effect on school readiness, but they are by no means exhaustive. Data presented in this document provide a reliable estimate of school readiness risk and reach that can be used to inform policy decisions and allocation of critical but limited resources. It also serves as a baseline for continued monitoring of the state of school readiness in Oklahoma. In the future, more variables that explain school readiness will be included in the analysis as data become available at the county level.


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INTRODUCTION

By analyzing the prevalence of factors known to place young children at risk of being unprepared for school and comparing the reach of education and child care services to risk levels, Oklahoma joins other states in placing early childhood education and wellbeing as a priority for continued monitoring. This report highlights counties whose children are at greatest risk of poor school readiness and identifies counties that are underrepresented in terms of quality early childhood education, home visitation and child care services.

Oklahoma School Readiness Reach-by Risk Report 2014 7

The Oklahoma School Readiness Reach-by-Risk Report builds on the development of the Oklahoma School Readiness Risk Index (SRRI) in 2011 by including data on the scope of early childhood programs in each of the states 77 counties. This information is intended to provide policy makers, program administrators and other early childhood education stakeholders insight into areas of the state at greatest risk for children starting kindergarten unprepared to learn. By producing this report, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) provides a means of measuring school readiness risk and reach that did not previously exist for the state. Because data used in this report are collected regularly by state agencies and the U.S. Census, school readiness in Oklahoma can continue to be monitored over the long term.

Even though individual differences in childrens early academic skills and behaviors can be expected, research shows that socioeconomic factors significantly explain gaps in school readiness.1,2,3 Evidence suggests it is the cumulative effect of multiple risks that leads to poor school-entry academic achievement.4,5 For example, children from families with multiple risk factors, such as poverty or low maternal education, have lower cognitive development, lower social and emotional growth, more health problems, and demonstrate an academic achievement gap at kindergarten entry compared to peers without these risk factors.6,7,8,9

Without adequate education and support, children facing early academic challenges will have higher risk in terms of long-term education and employment achievements. Evidence shows they are more likely to drop out of school, have greater difficulty finding high-paying employment, depend on the support of welfare programs, or even commit crime.10,11,12 Identification of risk factors that hinder cognitive, social and mental development of children is the essential first step toward preventing negative outcomes and promoting successful lives. Moreover, young children living in high-risk environments can be successful if they participate in high-quality early education programs.7,13,14,15

This report consists of two main parts in addition to discussion of limitations and conclusions and appendices with detailed tables of data related to risk indicators and program reach. Part one is devoted to Risk and assesses 10 indicators known to impede school readiness. Part two is focused on Reach and profiles the scope of services provided in each county for six primarily publicly funded early childhood education programs, four home visitation programs, and several aspects of child care services, such as provider quality ratings and enrollment of children with child care subsidies in quality facilities.

METHODOLOGY RISK The risk factors (also referred to as indicators) identified for possible inclusion in the SRRI were selected based on a comprehensive review of published research on socioeconomic and demographic indictors strongly associated with school readiness. To be included, indicators had to be available at the county level and be updated regularly to allow for continued monitoring. For each indicator, data at the state and county levels were collected from multiple secondary sources and reported as proportions of relevant populations (e.g., percent of live births to mothers with low levels of education). Data were statistically analyzed using multivariate techniques to narrow the number of indicators by creating components, or sets of factors most closely correlated with each other, that significantly explain school readiness, with third-grade reading proficiency used as a proxy of readiness.a Three sets emerged from the analysis as significantly associated with school readiness: Hispanic background, family structure and economic distress, and children in child welfare. Figure 1 shows the sets and the individual variables that comprise each component as well as their corresponding weightings.b Appendix 2 provides descriptions of each indicator and sources of data. Figures 1 thru 5 adapted from Alliance Development Works, 2012.16


Standard scores, also known as z-scores, for each indicator were calculated based on individual county and statewide percentages.c Each indicator was weighted equally and z-scores were averaged across all 10 indicators for an overall school readiness risk score. Counties were ranked from 1 to 77 according to the severity of the overall score, with higher scores representing higher risk, and cut-points based on quartiles were used to classify counties into four groups according to categories of High, High-Medium, Medium-Low, and Low Risk for poor school readiness (Table 1). It is important to note that risk is based on a comparison of Oklahoma counties relative to each other, which excludes direct comparisons to other states or the nation.

Data for these 10 indicators were updated with the most recent data available as of fall 2013. Therefore, the Risk Index is a revised version of the index published by DHS in April 2013.17 In addition, the methodology used to calculate the index has been modified from prior publication.d Summary tables highlighting counties with the highest and lowest rates for each indicator are included in the body of the report, with Appendix 5 listing rates for each county. Rates are also shown on maps included for each indicator. Counties are color coded to represent risk level per indicator, and overall percentages for each risk group are presented next to the risk group legend. Color coding for maps and appendix tables ranges from dark orange for High Risk to dark blue for Low Risk.

Figure 1. Indicators used to measure school readiness risk

Table 1: Risk group score range, number of counties and children under age 6 in Oklahoma

Average z-score Number of counties Number of

children (0-5)1 Percent of all

children 0-5 in Oklahoma

Risk level

0.326 to 1.494 19 40,896 12.9% High Risk 0.005 to 0.325 19 103,669 32.8% High-Medium Risk -0.291 to 0.004 18 94,555 29.9% Medium-Low Risk -1.090 to -0.292 21 77,380 24.4% Low Risk

77 316,500 1Source: US Census 2010


REACH To investigate the relationship between risk classification and reach of services that support school readiness, data were requested from the following programs and services: early childhood education (Head Start, Early Head Start, and the states universal pre-kindergarten program); home visitation (Oklahoma Parents as Teachers, Children First, Start Right, and SoonerStart/Early Intervention), and child care services. Table 2 lists programs and services used to measure reach and indicates those for which reach ratios were calculated.

Agencies contacted for data include DHS (Oklahoma Child Care Services), Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma State Department of Education, and the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies and American Indian tribal governments responsible for Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) programs.

Programs were provided with a list of data needed, such as overall enrollment and enrollment by age, race/ethnicity, and status related to disabilities, homelessness, foster care, income, and whether children attended center- or home-based programs on a full- or half-day basis. Not all data were available due to restrictions related to privacy, such as low numbers that could potentially identify children or families served, or to the process by which programs routinely collect data that prevented responding to all variables requested. A total of 12 indicators across 5 programs and services (EHS, HS, pre-kindergarten program, and child care services) were used to calculate the Reach Index. Figure 2 shows the variables that comprise the overall index and individual indexes as well as their corresponding weightings. Appendix 8 provides descriptions of each indicator and data sources.

Table 2: Programs highlighted for reach

Program # Counties served Ages served Income eligibility Reach ratio

Education Head Start 77 3 to 4a

Reach ratios were calculated by estimating the total eligible population for each county using U.S. Census data for individual ages and, when applicable, poverty rates, and dividing the total number served by total eligible. The outcome is an estimated percent of eligible children served. For three home visitation programs (Children First, Start Right and SoonerStart) and two education programs (Oklahoma Early Childhood Program and Educare), ratios were not possible due to data restrictions, such as masked data to protect privacy; difficulty in identifying eligible populations, such as children at risk for abuse and neglect; or programs that serve municipalities rather than counties. Reach ratios are mapped onto county risk levels to highlight counties with the greatest need for early childhood education, home visitation and child care services relative to risk.

The same methods noted above to calculate the SRRI were used to rank counties according to scope of reach and compute a Reach Index, based on averaged z-scores for all programs and indicators with reach ratios,e with higher rank and scores representing greater reach. Quartiles were used to classify counties into four categories of High, High-Medium, Medium-Low and Low Reach (Table 3). Color coding for appendix tables ranges from dark blue for High Reach to dark orange for Low Reach.

Figure 2: Programs and indicators used to measure reach

Table 3. Reach group score range, number of counties and children under age 6 in Oklahoma

Average z-score Number of counties

Number High / High-Medium Risk

counties

Number of children (0-5)1

Percent of all children

0-5 in Oklahoma

Reach level

0.301 to 0.687 19 9 / 5 48,020 15.2% High Reach

0.300 to 0.039 19 3 / 8 98,302 31.1% High-Medium Reach

0.034 to -0.195 19 3 / 4 110,577 34.9% Medium-Low Reach -0.203 to -1.146 20 4 / 2 59,601 18.8% Low Reach

77 316,500 1Source: US Census 2010


county.

groupings combined for the overall, education and child care Reach Indexes.

In addition to an overall Reach Index, separate indexes were calculated for the four education programs (HS, EHS, and pre-kindergarten for 3 and 4 year olds) combined and the six child care indicators combined. Summary tables highlighting counties with the highest and lowest reach for each program are included in the body of the report, with Appendices 11 to 13 listing reach ratios, when applicable, for each county. Appendix 9 lists counties by risk and reachAppendix 9 lists counties by risk and reach groupings combined for the overall, education and child care Reach Indexes.


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OKLAHOMA SCHOOL READINESS RISK INDEX (SRRI) 2013:Updated indicators and results

Identification of risk factors that hinder cognitive, social and mental development of children is the essential first step toward preventing negative outcomes and promoting successful lives. The SRRI estimates the extent to which children in each of Oklahomas 77 counties are at risk for starting school unprepared to learn and informs policy making and distribution of critical early childhood resources.


OVERALL RISK Although 38 of Oklahomas 77 counties have overall rankings that classify them as High or High-Medium Risk, 59 are classified as High Risk on at least one indicator and 71 as High-Medium Risk on at least one indicator. The number of indicators rated as high risk level for the High Risk group ranges from three to seven, with a mean of 4.74. In contrast, the number of indicators rated as high risk level for the Low Risk group ranges from zero to two, with a mean of 0.33.

Table 4 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on the SRRI. Higher scores represent higher risk and mean that counties have large percentages of children with multiple risk factors. Scores range from a high of 1.494 for Harmon County to a low of 1.090 for Alfalfa County, with Tulsa County at the median (0.004). As Map 1 shows, counties with the highest overall risk are concentrated in the northeast, southeast and southwest parts of the state, with pockets of concentration in counties in the panhandle, north central and south central regions.

Table 4. Rank and score on the Oklahoma School Readiness Risk Index 2013

Rank County Score

1 Harmon 1.494

2 Tillman 1.229

3 Texas 1.138

4 Adair 0.797

5 Greer 0.765

6 Pushmataha 0.709

7 Cherokee 0.685

8 Choctaw 0.593

9 Delaware 0.580

10 Seminole 0.576

39 Tulsa 0.004

68 Canadian -0.651

69 Ellis -0.652

70 Rogers -0.659

71 McClain -0.659

72 Major -0.715

73 Wagoner -0.718

74 Logan -0.746

75 Roger Mills -0.792

76 Cleveland -0.873

77 Alfalfa -1.090

Map 1: Overall risk


HISPANIC BACKGROUNDThis component represents risk associated with being of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, having poor English language skills, and being born to mothers with low educational levels. For both English-language learners and low maternal education, correlations with Hispanic ethnicity are higher than with other variables. This is in line with national research that shows Hispanic children experience multiple school readiness risk factors at high rates.18

Table 5 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on this component. Higher scores represent higher risk and mean that counties have large percentages of children who are Hispanic, are ELL, and were born to mothers with less than a high school diploma. Scores range from a high of 4.72 for Texas County to a low of -1.143 for Alfalfa County, with Craig County at the median (-0.258). Maps 2 through 5 show indicator rates by county and by risk group. High Risk counties have the greatest rates for low-educated mothers and migrant children, and the second-highest rate, behind High-Medium Risk counties, for Hispanic ethnicity and ELL. Rates for High and High-Medium Risk groups exceed the state.

Table 5. Rank and score on the Hispanic Background component

Rank County Score

1 Texas 4.720

2 Harmon 2.468

3 Harper 2.126

4 Tillman 1.717

5 Marshall 1.412

6 Adair 1.358

7 Oklahoma 1.219

8 Beaver 0.862

9 Jackson 0.806

10 Tulsa 0.768

39 Craig -0.258

68 Logan -0.678

69 Lincoln -0.726

70 Wagoner -0.729

71 Ellis -0.729


73 Noble -0.799

74 Cotton -0.799

75 Grant -0.921

76 Woods -1.049

77 Alfalfa -1.143

Figure 3: Indicators used to measure Hispanic Background component


1. HISPANIC/LATINO ETHNICITY County-level rates of Hispanic children come from 5-year estimates of the U.S. Census for children under age 5. From 2007 to 2011, an estimated 17% of children under age 5 in Oklahoma were Hispanic. Although this is lower than the national rate of 29%, six counties are higher than the national average, and a total of 18 counties are above the state average.

As demonstrated in Table 6, rates of Hispanic children range from a high of 59% in Texas County to a low of 3% in McIntosh County, with Haskell County at the median (9%). As Map 2 shows, the greatest concentrations of Hispanic children are in the western part of the state, particularly northwestern and southwestern Oklahoma. High concentrations are also found in west-central counties as well as the eastern counties of Tulsa and Le Flore.

Table 6. Rank and rate of children under age 5 who are Hispanic (2007-2011)

Rank County Percent

1 Texas 58.6

2 Harmon 37.4

3 Tillman 33.5

4 Beaver 31.4

5 Jackson 31.1

6 Marshall 29.1

7 Cimarron 27.8

8 Oklahoma 26.6

9 Custer 25.8

10 Greer 25.7

39 Haskell 9.3

68 Choctaw 5.2

69 Mayes 5.2

70 Atoka 5.1

71 Alfalfa 4.5

72 Hughes 4.3

73 Coal 4.2

74 Lincoln 4.1

75 Sequoyah 3.8

76 Woods 3.4

77 McIntosh 3.3

Map 2: Hispanic ethnicity


2. ENGLISH-LANGUAGE LEARNERSLiving in homes where little to no English is spoken places children at an extreme disadvantage for language development.17,19,20 According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, approximately 11% of children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten in 2011-2012 were English- language learners.

As demonstrated in Table 7, rates of ELL prekindergartners and kindergartners range from a high of 57% in Texas to a low of 0.4% in Okmulgee, with Rogers County at the median (4.5%). The median excludes 16 counties with no young ELL children. Ten counties are higher than the estimated national rate of 16%. With the fourth highest rate of ELL children at 25%, Adair County deviates from the relationship between Hispanic and ELL with Hispanic children comprising 14% of those under age 5 compared to 42% for American Indian children. This is the only county that follows this trend. As Map 3 shows, the greatest concentrations of ELL children are in western Oklahoma, particularly the panhandle and west-central Oklahoma. High concentrations are also found in southwestern Oklahoma and eastern counties.

Table 7. Rank and rate of pre-kindergarten and kindergarten English learners (AY 2011-2012)

Rank County Percent

1 Texas 57.0

2 Harper 47.6

3 Harmon 29.0

4 Adair 24.6

5 Tillman 24.0

6 Oklahoma 22.0

7 Beaver 20.1

8 Kingfisher 19.6

9 Tulsa 17.5

10 Marshall 17.2

31 Rogers 4.5

52 Pottawatomie 1.6

53 Creek 1.5

54 Greer 1.4

55 Noble 1.3

56 Pittsburg 1.3

57 Okfuskee 0.9

58 Johnston 0.7

59 Mayes 0.5

60 Craig 0.5

61 Okmulgee 0.4

Note: All other counties were 0%.

Map 3: English-language learners


3. LOW MATERNAL EDUCATION Hispanic children in Oklahoma are more likely than American Indian or African American children to have a mother with a low level of education, which reflects the national trend.21 Associated with low rates of enrollment in early childhood education programs, young maternal age and poor prenatal care, low maternal education is one of the most important variables that explains gaps in young childrens academic performance.22,23,24,25

The most recent county-level data for low maternal education is from 2009 and come from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. For 2008 and 2009, the state average was comparable to the nation (22%). Thirty-six (36) counties had rates higher than the nation, with five at or above 30%. As demonstrated in Table 8, rates range from a high of 48% in Texas County to a low of 9% in Alfalfa County, with Pontotoc County at the median (21%). As Map 4 shows, the greatest concentrations of infants born to mothers with low maternal education are along the states eastern border, with high concentrations also found in south-central and southwestern counties.

Table 8. Rank and rate of births to mothers with less than high school diploma (2008 & 2009 avg)

Rank County Percent

1 Texas 48.2

2 Harmon 37.3

3 Adair 34.8

4 Marshall 30.2

5 Delaware 29.6

6 Tillman 28.7

7 Le Flore 28.6

8 Murray 28.1

9 Harper 27.8 10 Sequoyah 27.1

39 Pontotoc 21.2

68 Logan 13.1

69 Payne 12.8

70 Cotton 12.8

71 Ellis 12.2

72 Wagoner 12.0

73 Cleveland 11.9

74 Woods 11.3

75 Grant 11.1

76 Canadian 10.4

77 Alfalfa 8.8

Map 4: Low maternal education


4. MIGRANT CHILDREN Although not statistically part of the Hispanic Background component, being the child of a migrant parent is another important school readiness risk factor. Of all major groups in the nation, migrant workers are recognized as the most poorly educated, with many speaking little to no English.26 Poverty is endemic among migrant families, with migrant children lacking continuity of schooling and being significantly behind in academic development.27,28,29 Among racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic children are the most likely to be eligible for the federally funded Migrant Education Program (MEP).

In 2010-2011, 0.4% of the nations 3 to 5 year olds were served by the MEP. In 2009-2010, six Oklahoma counties served young children in the MEP. Three counties exceed the national rate, with Tillman County (1.2%) having the highest rate, followed by Beaver (0.8%) and Jackson (0.5%) counties. Two counties (Texas and Cherokee) have rates of approximately 0.2%, and Caddo County (0.08%), has the lowest rate. As Map 5 shows, the greatest concentration of MEP children is in southwestern Oklahoma.

Table 9. Rank and rate of 3 to 5 year olds served by Migrant Education Program (AY 2009-2010)

Rank County Percent

1 Tillman 1.19

2 Beaver 0.79

3 Jackson 0.51

4 Texas 0.19

5 Cherokee 0.16

6 Caddo 0.08

Note: All other counties were 0%.

Map 5: Children in Migrant Education Program


FAMILY STRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DISTRESS This component represents risk associated with being born to a teenage mother, having a single-parent, and being of American Indian or Alaska Native race, all of which are highly related to poverty.7,30 In Oklahoma, the correlation between race/ethnicity and poverty is considerably higher for American Indian than for Hispanic.

Table 10 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on this component. Higher scores represent higher risk and mean that counties have large percentages of children who live in poverty, were born to teenage mothers, have single parents, and are American Indian. Scores range from a high of 1.64 for Delaware County to a low of -1.48 for Major County, with Beckham County at the median (-0.08). Maps 6 through 9 show indicator rates by county and by risk group. Counties classified as High Risk have the greatest percent of children for each risk factor, with rates considerably higher than state averages.

Table 10. Rank and score on the Family Structure and Economic Distress component

Rank County Score

1 Delaware 1.638

2 Pushmataha 1.463

3 Hughes 1.383

4 Cherokee 1.297

5 Choctaw 1.293

6 Adair 1.291

7 Harmon 1.11

8 Ottawa 1.091

9 Kay 1.082

10 McCurtain 1.068

39 Beckham -0.080

68 Beaver -0.734

69 Woods -0.756

70 Payne -0.833

71 McClain -0.983

72 Canadian -1.139

73 Logan -1.193

74 Cleveland -1.226

75 Kingfisher -1.287

76 Alfalfa -1.342

77 Major -1.480

Figure 4: Indicators used to measure Family Structure and Economic Distress component


5. CHILDREN IN POVERTY Poverty is one of the strongest predictors of adverse child outcomes, including low academic skills at kindergarten entry.31 Children in poverty are three times more likely than those not in poverty to be born to an unmarried teenager; twice as likely to be retained a grade in school or to drop out of school; and nearly seven times as likely to experience child abuse and neglect.7

Data on poverty, defined as children under age 6 living at less than 100% of the federal poverty level, come from the U.S. Census. At 27% of young children in poverty, Oklahoma exceeds the national rate of 23%. Of Oklahoma counties, 54 have child poverty rates higher than the nation, with four counties at or above 50% (Harmon, Pushmataha, Cimarron and Hughes). As demonstrated in Table 11, rates range from a high of 55% in Harmon County to a low of 11% in Kingfisher County, with Tulsa County at the median (27%). As Map 6 shows, the greatest concentrations of children in poverty are in eastern Oklahoma, particularly east-central, southeast and northeast counties, with pockets of concentrations in north central, southwest, panhandle areas.

Table 11. Rank and rate of young children living under 100% of federal poverty level (2007-2011)

Rank County Percent

1 Harmon 54.9

2 Pushmataha 54.1

3 Cimarron 51.4

4 Hughes 49.6

5 Tillman 46.4

6 Cherokee 46.1

7 Delaware 46.1

8 Coal 45.5

9 McCurtain 43.8

10 Pawnee 42.2

39 Tulsa 27.0

68 Woods 16.9

69 Logan 16.2

70 Cleveland 14.8

71 Rogers 14.1

72 Haskell 13.8

73 Dewey 13.7

74 Major 13.7

75 Craig 11.8

76 Canadian 11.1

77 Kingfisher 11.0

Map 6: Children in poverty


6. CHILDREN WITH SINGLE PARENTS Factors associated with being from a single-parent family, such as poverty and decreased parent/child interaction, place children at high risk of delayed social and academic development.7 Of single parents, most are mothers, and research shows that households headed by single mothers are more likely to be impoverished than two-parent households.32

Data for children under age 6 living with single parents come from the U.S. Census. At 31%, Oklahoma exceeds the national rate of nearly 29%. Rates of young children with single parents exceed the nation for 38 counties, with eight counties at or above 40%. As demonstrated in Table 12, rates of children with single parents range from a high of 51% in Tillman County to a low of 8% in Kingfisher County, with Osage County at the median (29%). As Map 7 shows, the greatest concentrations of children with single parents are in southern and eastern Oklahoma, in particular south and east central, southeastern and northeastern counties. Pockets of concentrations are also found in southwestern and north- and west-central counties.

Table 12. Rank and rate of young children with single parents (2007-2011)

Rank County Percent

1 Tillman 50.9

2 Choctaw 50.0

3 Pushmataha 49.1

4 Comanche 44.9

5 Kay 42.2

6 Nowata 41.0

7 Seminole 39.6

8 Cherokee 39.6

9 Delaware 38.9

10 Ottawa 38.8

39 Osage 28.6

68 Craig 18.0

69 Rogers 17.8

70 Alfalfa 17.7

71 Woods 17.6

72 Roger Mills 17.6

73 Logan 16.6

74 Woodward 16.2

75 Greer 10.3

76 Major 8.7

77 Kingfisher 7.6

Map 7:Children with single parents


7. YOUNG MATERNAL AGE As of 2010, Oklahoma was among the top five states in terms of births to teenage mothers.33 Having a teen mother exacerbates risks for poor school readiness and creates a cycle of poverty as opportunities for a mother to advance her education are limited. Teenage mothers are considerably less likely to earn a high school diploma by age 22 than their non-maternal peers, and negative birth outcomes are more likely among teen pregnancies.34, 35, 36

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the rate of live births to teenage mothers averaged 11% from 2011 to 2012, a decline in the overall trend of 14% from 2007 to 2010 but still greater than the national rate of 9%. As demonstrated in Table 13, rates of infants born to teen mothers range from a high of 22% in Greer to a low of 7% in Alfalfa, with Pottawatomie County at the median (13%). As Map 8 shows, the greatest concentrations of infants born to teen mothers are in southeastern, south-central, and southwestern Oklahoma, with pockets of concentrations in the northeast, north-central and northwest.

Table 13. Rank and rate of births to teenage mothers (2011 & 2012 avg)

Rank County Percent

1 Greer 22.0

2 Harmon 21.1 3 Johnston 20.04 Choctaw 19.5

5 Caddo 18.8

6 Pushmataha 18.6

7 Le Flore 18.0

8 Delaware 17.4

9 McCurtain 17.4

10 Love 17.1

39 Pottawatomie 13.3

68 Major 9.9

69 Cimarron 9.2

70 Noble 9.1

71 McClain 8.4

72 Wagoner 7.9

73 Canadian 7.8

74 Logan 7.7

75 Cleveland 6.9

76 Payne 6.8

77 Alfalfa 6.8

Map 8: Young maternal age


8. AMERICAN INDIAN RACE American Indian/Alaska Native children are likely to experience numerous school readiness risk factors. Nationally, they are one of the most overrepresented racial/ethnic groups in foster care, the least represented in early childhood education programs, and experience high rates of learning disabilities.37, 38, 39 In Oklahoma, American Indian children are more likely than Hispanic or African American children to live in poverty and have a teen mother.

According to data from the U.S. Census, Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of American Indian children under age 5 at 9%. American Indian children comprise 10% or more of all young children in nearly half of the states counties. As demonstrated in Table 14, rates range from a high of 42% in Adair to a low of 0.4% in Texas County, with Choctaw at the median (9%). The median excludes five counties with no young American Indian children. As Map 9 shows, the greatest concentrations are in eastern Oklahoma, particularly the northeast and east-central, with pockets of high concentrations in southeastern and west-central counties.

Table 14. Rank and rate of children under age 5 who are American Indian (2007-2011)

Rank County Percent

1 Adair 41.5

2 Delaware 33.5

3 Cherokee 30.0

4 Hughes 26.7

5 McIntosh 26.6

6 Ottawa 26.3

7 Okfuskee 26.1

8 Caddo 26.1

9 Craig 21.8

10 Seminole 21.8

37 Choctaw 9.3

63 Grant 2.6

64 Garfield 2.6

65 Greer 2.5

66 Woodward 2.4

67 Payne 2.2

68 Harmon 1.8

69 Alfalfa 1.1

70 Jackson 1.1

71 Tillman 0.5

72 Texas 0.4

Map 9: American Indian race


CHILDREN IN CHILD WELFARE This component represents risk associated with having an abusive and/or neglectful family environment, which may result in foster care placement. Children in abusive and neglectful environments are at an elevated risk for slowed brain development and poor academic performance.7,40 Among all SRRI risk factors, abuse and neglect and entering protective custody are most strongly correlated with being born to a teenage mother.

Table 15 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on this component. Higher scores represent higher risk and mean counties have the greatest percentages in the state of children who have been confirmed as suffering abuse or neglect and who have been placed in foster care. Scores range from a high of 4.40 for Greer to a low of -1.53 for Tillman, with Osage County at the median (-0.17). Maps 10 and 11 show indicator rates by county and by risk group. The rates of children between infancy and age 5 who are victims of abuse and neglect are greatest in High and High-Medium Risk counties, while High-Medium Risk counties have the highest rate of young children in foster care.

Table 15. Rank and score on the Children in Child Welfare component

Rank County Score

1 Greer 4.396

2 Woods 1.965

3 Blaine 1.823

4 Harmon 1.657

5 Coal 1.559

6 Beckham 1.531

7 Seminole 1.527

8 Pushmataha 1.270

9 Okfuskee 1.113

10 Pittsburg 0.930

39 Osage -0.174

68 Alfalfa -0.941

69 Cleveland -0.957

70 Washita -0.986

71 Kingfisher -1.097

72 Ellis -1.103

73 Beaver -1.145


75 Harper -1.360

76 Dewey -1.445

77 Tillman -1.525

Figure 5: Indicators used to measure Children in Child Welfare Component


9. ABUSE AND NEGLECT Chronic stress from exposure to abuse and neglect presents serious risk factors for poor school readiness. Adults who were abused or neglected as children have lower IQ scores and increased risk of dropping out of school than those with nurturing childhood environments.41,42,43

According to DHS, in state fiscal year 2012, 52 counties had rates of abuse and neglect among children under age 6 higher than the nation (1.3%), and 14 counties had rates of 3.0% or more. As demonstrated in Table 16, rates range from a high of 8.2% in Greer County to a low of 0.3% in Washita County, with Osage County at the median (1.8%). The median excludes two counties with no confirmed cases of abuse and neglect among young children. As Map 10 shows, the greatest concentrations of young children suffering abuse and neglect are in east-central and southeastern Oklahoma, with pockets of high concentrations in the southwest, west-central and northwestern parts of the state.

Table 16. Rank and rate of DHS confirmed abuse & neglect for children under 6 (SFY 2012)

Rank County Percent

1 Greer 8.22

2 Coal 4.76

3 Seminole 4.54

4 Okfuskee 3.53

5 Harmon 3.53

6 Woods 3.46

7 Blaine 3.44

8 Beckham 3.38

9 Pushmataha 3.37

10 Pittsburg 3.20

38 Osage 1.80

66 Love 0.89

67 Murray 0.87

68 Rogers 0.80

69 Garfield 0.77

70 Ottawa 0.75

71 Cleveland 0.75

72 Cimarron 0.54

73 Roger Mills 0.36

74 Harper 0.36

75 Washita 0.31

Map 10: Abuse and neglect


10. FOSTER CARE Foster care placement is predicated by severe child abuse and neglect, and is most prominent among the poor and racial/ethnic minorities.44,45,46,47,48 Several studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between foster care placement, health problems and developmental delays, and poor academic outcomes.49,50,51 These issues are further exacerbated with multiple foster care placements.52

In Oklahoma, children under age 6 comprised more than half (54%) of all children placed in foster care in state fiscal year 2012, compared to 39% for the nation. According to DHS, all but eight counties had rates of young children in foster care higher than the nation, with 23 counties at or above 3%. As demonstrated in Table 17, rates range from a high of 7.9% in Greer County to no foster care placements in Ellis County, with Le Flore County at the median (2.2%). As Map 11 shows, the greatest concentrations of young children in protective custody are in east-central Oklahoma, with pockets of high concentrations in the southwest, west-central and northwest regions.

Table 17. Rank and rate of children under age 6 in DHS protective custody (SFY 2012)

Rank County Percent

1 Greer 7.93

2 Woods 6.50

3 Blaine 6.09

4 Harmon 5.49

5 Beckham 5.30

6 Pushmataha 4.53

7 Choctaw 4.49

8 Pottawatomie 4.11

9 Pontotoc 4.09

10 McIntosh 3.89

39 Le Flore 2.20

68 Wagoner 0.87

69 Texas 0.67

70 Dewey 0.54

71 Roger Mills 0.36

72 Harper 0.35

73 Alfalfa 0.35

74 Kingfisher 0.34

75 Tillman 0.30

76 Beaver 0.24

77 Ellis 0.00

Map 11: Foster care


-

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: Reach Index Results

Without adequate education and support, children facing early academic challenges are likely to experience poor educational and employment outcomes. Comparing overall risk for poor school readiness to the percent of eligible children reached by quality programs highlights counties with the greatest need for early childhood education, home visitation, and child care services.


OVERALL REACH There is a positive and statistically significant relationship between reach and risk, with overall reach increasing by risk group.f The highest overall reach is among High Risk counties, with 47% in the High Reach group, compared to 25% of counties statewide (Table 18). Table 19 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on the overall Reach Index. As Map 12 shows, counties with the highest overall reach are concentrated in southeastern Oklahoma, with pockets of concentrations in the northeast and southwest.

About half of High Risk counties have among the highest rates of reach; another fourth have overall low reach; and the remaining fourth have medium reach rates.

Table 18. Percent of counties by risk and overall reach

Overall Reach-by-Risk

Risk

Reach Low Medium-Low High-

Medium High

High 21% 16% 16% 47% High-Medium 11% 21% 42% 26%

Medium-Low 22% 39% 17% 22% Low 48% 24% 24% 5%

State Total 26% 25% 25% 25%

Table 19. Rank and score on the overall Reach Index (Higher scores = higher reach)

Reach Rank County Risk Group

Reach Score

1 Caddo High 0.687

2 Kiowa Med-Low 0.657

3 Coal High-Med 0.653

4 Choctaw High 0.625

5 Greer High 0.625

6 Bryan Med-Low 0.578

7 Pontotoc High-Med 0.537

8 Creek Low 0.487

9 Pottawatomie High-Med 0.444

10 Pittsburg High-Med 0.417

39 Delaware High 0.034

68 Woods Med-Low -0.464

69 Harmon High -0.466

70 Harper High-Med -0.471

71 Washita Low -0.511

72 Grant Low -0.524

73 Wagoner Low -0.813

74 Ellis Low -0.861

75 Beaver High-Med -0.871

76 Texas High -0.885

77 Dewey Low -1.146

Map 12: Reach-by-Risk county classifications


EDUCATION REACH Examining education programs only (HS/EHS and pre-kindergarten), there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between reach and risk, with education reach increasing by risk group.g Indicators on enrollment data for the following programs were included in the education Index calculation: HS, EHS, pre-K 3 year olds, pre-K 4 year olds, and pre-K full-day attendance.

The highest education reach is among High Risk counties, with 53% in the High Reach group, compared to 25% of counties statewide (Table 20). Table 21 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on the education Reach Index. The highest education reach is in High Risk Greer County (reach score=1.212), with the lowest in Low Reach Wagoner County (reach score=1.469). Low Risk Roger Mills is at the median.

Table 20: Percent of counties by risk and education reach

Education Reach-by-Risk

Risk


Medium High

High 16% 16% 16% 53% High-Medium 21% 21% 42% 16%

Medium-Low 28% 28% 22% 22%

Low 38% 33% 19% 10%

State Total 26% 25% 25% 25%

Table 21. Rank and score on the education Reach Index (Higher scores = higher reach)

Reach Rank

County Risk Group Reach Score 1 Greer High 1.212

2 Pushmataha High 1.047

3 Cimarron Med-Low 1.023

4 Seminole High 0.953

5 Choctaw High 0.908


7 Caddo High 0.696

8 Adair High 0.631

9 Muskogee High 0.603

10 Sequoyah High-Med 0.578

39 Roger Mills Low 0.065

68 Comanche Med-Low -0.718

69 Rogers Low -0.766

70 Canadian Low -0.808

71 Harper High-Med -0.831

72 Logan Low -0.872

73 Oklahoma High-Med -0.995

74 Dewey Low -1.030


76 Cleveland Low -1.459

77 Wagoner Low -1.469


HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START Early Head Start (EHS) programs provide comprehensive services for children under age 3 and pregnant women, while Head Start (HS) serves children ages 3 to 5.53 Participation is free for families with incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level, with the exception of some vulnerable populations. HS and EHS services are offered on a full- and half-day basis in centers, elementary schools or family homes, or through a weekly home visits. Both programs require minimum qualifications for teachers as well as performance standards for curricula. They are funded through the federal Office of HS and the Oklahoma State Legislature, are administered on a local level, and must be licensed by the state.

During 2012-2013, 36 organizations, including 14 American Indian programs,54 served approximately 17,520 children through HS in all 77 counties and 2,572 children in EHS in 41 counties. As Map 13 shows, High Risk counties served a considerably greater proportion of children in HS and EHS than all other risk groups.h Medium-Low Risk Haskell County and High Risk Greer County served the highest rate of children in both programs (100%), while Low Risk Dewey County served the lowest (2%) (Table 22).

Table 22. Rank and rate of children reached by Head Start/Early Head Start (Higher scores = higher reach)

Reach Rank County Risk Group Percent

1 (tie) Haskell Med-Low 100.0

1 (tie) Greer High 100.0

2 Caddo High 79.0


4 Latimer Low 73.0

5 Blaine High-Med 72.1

38 Pawnee Med-Low 35.5

72 Wagoner Low 13.3

73 Washington Med-Low 10.9

74 Garfield Med-Low 10.1

75 Harper High-Med 9.5

76 Dewey Low 2.4

Map 13: Head Start and Early Head Start reach


OKLAHOMA UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN The Oklahoma State Department of Education is responsible for the state's publicly funded universal pre-kindergarten (pre-K) program. Oklahomas program is unique in that it does not have eligibility criteria. The program provides an early childhood baccalaureate degreed teacher for every 10 children, full- or half-day programs, and curricula that meet state standards. The program also partners with child care centers to place pre-K teachers in child care classrooms.55

Since 2003, Oklahoma has been ranked first in the nation for availability and quality of public preschool.56 In addition, although not state-funded, 281 school districts served 3 year olds either in standalone classrooms or in 4-year-old classrooms in 2012-2013.

As of October 2012, approximately 40,000 children age 4 and 1,900 children age 3 were enrolled in pre-K. Of these children, nearly 30,000 (71%) attended full-day and approximately 12,000 attended half-day programs. As Map 14 shows, High Risk counties served the greatest proportion of both age groups at nearly half of all 3 and 4 year oldsi in these counties, which had the highest rate of full-day attendance (90%). Low Risk Roger Mills County served the highest rate of children (76%), while Low Risk Wagoner County served the lowest (18%). Low Risk Creek County was at the median (47%) (Table 23).

Table 23. Rank and rate of children reached by pre-kindergarten (Higher scores = higher reach)


1 Roger Mills Low 75.9

2 Pushmataha High 69.5


4 Alfalfa Low 66.7


39 Creek Low 47.0

73 Rogers Low 31.9

74 Cleveland Low 30.9

75 Logan Low 24.1

76 Osage Med-Low 18.6

77 Wagoner Low 18.0

Map 14: Pre-kindergarten (3 and 4 year old) reach


The following two programs expand quality education for particular counties or municipalities. Due to the limited geographic scope of these programs, reach ratios were not calculated.

OKLAHOMA EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM (OECP) Launched in 2006 and administered by Community Action Project (CAP) of Tulsa County, OECP is a public/ private partnership to improve the quality and expand the capacity of early education services for low-income children from birth to age 3. OECP-funded programs provide comprehensive, full-day, year-round services in a range of settings. Child and family eligibility is based on one of the following: family income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level, demonstrated income eligibility for DHS or tribal child care assistance, or in foster care.57

OECP-funded providers must meet rigorous national standards based on selected EHS performance standards. OECP emphasizes recruitment and retention of highly trained teachers and staff. Each program must provide family support services via a degreed family support specialist. Curricula must align with Oklahomas Early Learning Guidelines for infants and toddlers. Providers must apply for OECP funding and offer services in at least one rural and one urban area and supplement state funds with private funds.

As of fall 2013, eight organizations, including the Cherokee Nation, provided OECP-funded services to 1,970 children in seven counties (Choctaw, Mayes, McCurtain, Oklahoma, Pushmataha, Tulsa and Washington). Of these children, 1,720 attended center-based and 250 attended home-based programs (Table 24). Three counties with OECP-funded programs are High Risk, one is High-Medium Risk and two are Medium-Low Risk.

Table 24. OECP enrollment, 2013-2014

Center-based Home-based High 48 0High-Medium 156 0 Medium-Low 1516 250 Low 0 0

State Total 1720 250

EDUCARE A national research-based public-private partnership, Educare offers full-day, year-round education targeting low-income children from 6 weeks to 5 years old who are at-risk for being unprepared for school. To be eligible, a family must have an income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. Services target social, emotional, and cognitive development; mental health; parental involvement; and nutrition, with meals prepared on site. The Educare curriculum draws from research on best practices in early learning, and teachers are degreed in early childhood education.58

Oklahoma has four Educare programs, one standalone site in Oklahoma City that predominately serves children in HS and EHS and three centers located adjacent to or on the grounds of elementary schools in Tulsa. In 2012-2013, a total of 670 children were served by Educare in one High-Medium Risk county (Oklahoma) and one Medium-Low Risk county (Tulsa) who were not also served by HS/EHS (Table 25).

Table 25: Educare enrollment, 2013-2014

Enrollment (non-HS/EHS) High 0High-Medium 16* Medium-Low 654 Low 0

State Total 670 Note: Non-Head Start/Early Head Start enrollment


CHILD CARE REACH Comparing the six child care indicators to the risk classifications shows no significant relationship with child care reach, with reach being relatively comparable across risk groups. For example, the High Risk and Medium-Low Risk groups have similar rates of counties in the two highest reach groups. Six capacity and enrollment indicators were included in the child care Reach Index calculation: licensed centers, licensed providers overall and quality capacity, DHS contractors and their capacity, and quality subsidized enrollment.

The highest overall reach is among Medium-Low Risk counties, with 33% in the High Reach group (Table 26). Table 27 lists the 20 counties with the highest and lowest scores on the child care Reach Index. The highest reach is in Medium-Low Risk Craig County, with the lowest in Low Risk Ellis County.

In 1998 Oklahoma became the first state in the nation to implement a child care Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), Reaching for the Stars. The program, administered by DHS Child Care Services (CCS), uses evidence-based quality criteria and a tiered subsidy reimbursement system tied to Stars ratings. The Stars program consists of four tiers (One Star, One-Plus Star, Two Star, and Three Star) that involve increasing requirements for higher ratings.

Subsidized child care benefits ensure high quality care for children while their parents or guardians are at work, in training, trying to find employment, or receiving an education. Subsidy benefits may also be provided as part of a protective service plan. The subsidy is paid directly to a licensed and contracted child care provider on behalf of the family, which may have a copayment. Benefits are available up to a childs 13th birthday, or 19th if the child has a disability.59 Families may qualify if the gross household income ranges from $2425/month or less with one child to $3625/month with three or more children in care. Subsidy amounts increase with higher provider Stars ratings.60

Child care quality capacity and subsidized enrollment rates are discussed on the following pages.

Table 26: Percent of counties by risk and child care reach

Child Care Reach-by-Risk

Risk


Medium High

High 21% 32% 26% 21% High-Medium 5% 32% 37% 26%

Medium-Low 33% 22% 11% 33%

Low 43% 14% 24% 19%

State Total 26% 25% 25% 25%

Table 27. Rank and score on the child care Reach Index (Higher scores = higher reach)

Reach Rank County Risk Group

Reach Score

1 Craig Med-Low 0.938



4 Pontotoc High-Med 0.782


6 Hughes High 0.732

7 Comanche Med-Low 0.714

8 Pottawatomie High-Med 0.710


10 Oklahoma High-Med 0.664

39 Sequoyah High-Med 0.074


69 Jefferson Med-Low -0.720

70 Grant Low -0.768

71 Murray Med-Low -0.873

72 Harmon High -0.976

73 Adair High -1.031

74 Cimarron Med-Low -1.106

75 Beaver High-Med -1.333

76 Dewey Low -1.339

77 Ellis Low -1.753


QUALITY AND CAPACITY FOR OVERALL ENROLLMENT In state fiscal year 2013, 1,580 (40%) of 3,959 licensed facilities were Two Star and 261 (7%) were Three Star providers. Across the state, there are fewer center-based (42%) than home-based providers, with High Risk counties having the highest rate of licensed centers at 47%, which decreases with risk.

The capacity of child care providers to meet demand is another important consideration. Using the 183,461 Oklahoma children under age 6 with parents in the labor force as a proxy of demand, the overall licensed capacity is sufficient to serve approximately 73% of those children (Appendix 12). This leaves an estimated gap of 27%. The greatest gap (41%) is in High Risk counties, with the lowest (20%) in Medium-Low Risk counties. Map 15 shows quality child care capacity rates across the state. Two and Three Star providers have only enough capacity to reach an estimated 48% of young children with working parents, leaving a gap of 52%. Again, the highest gap (63%) is in High Risk counties, with the lowest (46%) in Medium-Low Risk counties. The highest rate of quality capacity is in Medium-Low Risk Craig County (86%), with the lowest in Medium-Low Risk Cimarron and Low Risk Dewy and Ellis counties (0%) (Table 28).

Table 28. Rank and rate of quality capacity to serve demand (Higher scores = higher reach)


1 Craig Med-Low 86.1



4 Ottawa High 62.7

5 Tulsa Med-Low 59.8

39 Custer High 35.2

70 Texas High 8.1

71 Okfuskee High-Med 8.1

72 Tillman High 4.4

73 Beaver High-Med 2.7

74 (tie) Cimarron Med-Low 0.0

74 (tie) Dewey Low 0.0

74 (tie) Ellis Low 0.0

Map 15: Quality licensed child care capacity


QUALITY AND CAPACITY FOR SUBSIDY ENROLLMENT Child care subsidy is funded through the Child Care Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, state funds, and the Administration for Children and Families.

For state fiscal year 2013, nearly 60% of licensed providers contracted with DHS to offer subsidized child care to 46,018 Oklahoma children under age 6 (25% of all young children with working parents). The greatest rate of DHS contractors was in High-Medium Risk counties (64%). Statewide, children with subsidies represented 51% of total capacity of DHS contractors.j High-Medium risk counties had the highest rate (60%) of subsidized children to capacity, while High Risk counties had the lowest rate (49%) (Appendix 12). As Map 16 shows, 94% of children with child care subsidies were enrolled in attended Two or Three Star facilities. Across risk groups, High-Medium Risk counties had the highest quality enrollment rate (95%). Subsidized enrollment rates at Three Star providers increase as risk declines.

Although seven counties had 100% subsidized enrollment at Two and Three Star providers, four were Low or Medium-Low Risk counties and none were High Risk (Table 29). Medium-Low Risk Cimarron County had the lowest rate of quality subsidized enrollment (0%).

Table 29. Rank and rate of quality subsidized enrollment (Higher scores = higher reach)


1 (tie) Harper High-Med 100.0

1 (tie) McIntosh High-Med 100.0

1 (tie) Johnston High-Med 100.0

1 (tie) Jefferson Med-Low 100.0

1 (tie) Alfalfa, Ellis, Noble Low 100.0

33 Atoka High-Med 92.4

62 Garvin Med-Low 70.9

63 Adair High 66.7

64 Tillman High 63.2

65 Harmon High 30.8


Map 16: Quality enrollment of subsidized children


HOME VISITATION

PROGRAMS It was not possible to measure home visitation reach using multiple programs due to data restrictions that limited analysis at the county level. Reach ratios were calculated for the Oklahoma Parents as Teachers (OPAT) program, with data on children and families served by other home visitation programs discussed later in this section.

OKLAHOMA PARENTS AS TEACHERS Administered by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and operated through local school districts, OPAT aims to engage parents in their childs education from infancy through age 2.61 Parent educators and program coordinators must be certified and attend continued training. OPAT is voluntary and free to all expectant parents and parents with young children in school districts that receive OPAT grant funds.

During academic year 2012-2013, 3,646 children received OPAT services in 27 counties across the state. As Map 17 shows, the High Risk group had the fewest number of counties with OPAT and reached the lowest number and percent of children (2.2%). Medium-Low Risk Murray County served the highest rate of children in OPAT (26%), with Garfield County serving the lowest (0.9%). Low Risk Cleveland County was at the median (8%) (Table 30).

Table 30. Rank and rate of children reached by OPAT (counties without OPAT excluded)


1 Murray Med-Low 26.2

2 Osage Med-Low 25.7

3 Logan Low 17.2

4 Pittsburg High-Med 12.8


14 Cleveland Low 7.9

23 Payne Low 3.8

24 Lincoln Low 3.5

25 Grady Low 2.6

26 Blaine High-Med 2.1

27 Garfield Med-Low 0.9

Map 17: Oklahoma Parents as Teachers reach


HOME VISITATION: OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROGRAMS The following programs provide home visitation services through the Oklahoma State Department of Health. All programs are supported by federal and state funds, with Children First and Start Right also supported by local funds. Table 31 lists number of families or children served for each program. All data are reported for calendar year 2012. Due to numerous counties with masked data, reach ratios could not be calculated for the programs.

CHILDREN FIRST (NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP) Children First is Oklahomas Nurse-Family Partnership program that serves low-income women expecting their first child. Services begin prior to the 29th week of pregnancy and may continue until a childs second birthday, and are available to families with household incomes no more than 185% of the federal poverty level.62 Services are delivered through county health departments by registered nurses who work with expectant mothers to reduce the risk of poor birth outcomes. Although Children First is available in all counties, some counties may not receive services due to lack of referrals, full caseloads, or vacant nurse positions. In 2012, Children First served 3,572 families in 67 counties. Low Risk counties served the greatest number of families, followed by High-Medium Risk counties.

START RIGHT Using the Healthy Families America (HFA) home visitation model, trained staff work with families to adopt parenting approaches that stimulate child development.63 There are no income eligibility requirements. First-time mothers beyond the 29th week of pregnancy, pregnant women expecting the birth of a subsequent child, and/or a legal guardian with a child less than 1 year old are eligible for services up to a childs fifth birthday.64 Start Right targets children who may be at-risk for abuse and neglect due to family environment. Research on HFA suggests the program reduces child maltreatment and family dependency on cash assistance programs.65,66 In 2012, Start Right served 1,048 families in 38 counties. The greatest number of families served resided in High-Medium Risk counties, although the most counties served were in the High Risk group.

SOONERSTART/EARLY INTERVENTION (IDEA PART C) SoonerStart/Early Intervention provides services for every county as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C for infants and toddlers through 36 months who have disabilities and/or developmental delays.67 There are no income eligibility requirements. Services are provided in the home or child care setting and include diagnostics, case management, family training and home visits, physical and speech-language therapy, and health services. The Oklahoma State Department of Education contracts with the Department of Health to deliver services and ensure program compliance. In 2012, SoonerStart served 8,037 children in 50 counties. High-Medium Risk counties served the most children, followed by Low Risk counties.

Table 31: Children First, Start Right, and SoonerStart enrollment, 2012

Children First Start Right SoonerStart Families Counties Families Counties Children Counties

High 626 18 262 12 1,180 13

High-Medium 995 17 370 6 2,675 13

Medium-Low 865 15 150 10 1,683 11

Low 1,086 17 266 10 2,499 13

State Total 3,572 67 1,048 38 8,037 50


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LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Data presented in this document provide a baseline for continued monitoring of the state of school readiness in Oklahoma. In the future, more variables that explain school readiness will be included in the analysis as data become available at the county level.


LIMITATIONS The research presented in this report is not without its limitations. The method for calculating an overall risk level as an average of the 10 individual indicators is limited by the assumption that each indicator carries the same weight, or degree of influence, on school readiness. It is likely that some indicators, such as poverty, are more strongly associated with poor school readiness than other indicators. However, considerable research suggests that it is the number of risk factors a child faces that increases the likelihood of being unprepared for school rather than individual factors alone. This reduces concerns about the contribution of individual indicators to school readiness and directs attention to the cumulative effect of multiple risks on poor school readiness.68,69 In addition, while factors other than those presented here may contribute to poor school readiness, this research is limited to data available at the county level.

Reach data are also limited only to statewide programs with data available by county. Moreover, as families move from one county to another over the course of a year, it is likely that some reach data include duplicated counts. For example, children in HS may participate in more than one HS program throughout a given year, and thus would appear in aggregated counts provided by at least two programs.

Data on home visitation programs are limited by confidentiality protections that mask data below a certain number. For example, the Oklahoma State Department of Health does not report numbers of children served by county if the total is less than 50. For counties where it is reported that no children were served by a home visitation program, it cannot be determined whether there were no referrals for services or whether children were not served due to full caseloads or staffing shortages. Finally, it is important to remember that this report represents a cross-sectional analysis, or snapshot of a single year, and data related to both risk and reach could increase or decrease in any given year.

CONCLUSIONS RISK An estimated 316,500 children age 5 and younger reside in Oklahoma (see Appendix 1 for population by county). Of Oklahomas 77 counties, 19 are classified as High Risk, with an additional 19 grouped as High-Medium Risk, 18 as Medium-Low Risk, and 21 as Low Risk. Nearly 145,000 children, or 46% of all children from infancy to age 5, reside in High or High-Medium Risk counties.

REACH Reach data were collected from several major early childhood education programs and from DHS Child Care Services. To the extent possible, data from these programs were used to calculate reach-to-risk ratios that provide an estimate of the percent of eligible children served by each program. These percentages were mapped to risk classifications to provide a snapshot of the relationship between reach and risk. Reach-to-risk ratios are estimates and are subject to limitations described earlier, such as potentially duplicated numbers of children served and eligibility counts based on extrapolated numbers rather than absolute numbers. Despite these limitations, the information presented here is still useful to early childhood stakeholder and policy makers in understanding where the reach of services may not match the need in a particular county based on risk level.

REACH-BY-RISK Significant, positive correlations were found between risk groups and reach for overall and education reach; however, there is no significant relationship between risk and reach for the child care indicators. About half of High Risk counties have among the highest rates of reach; another fourth have overall low reach; and the remaining fourth have medium reach rates. (See Appendix 9 for a listing of counties by risk and reach groupings combined for each of the Reach Indexes.)


Table 32 shows Oklahoma children in lower reach counties by risk group. Of 38 High and High-Medium Risk counties, 13 (34%) are classified as Low to Medium-Low Reach compared to 41% of Medium-Low and Low Risk counties. Nearly 85,000 children, or 27% of all children from infancy to age 5, reside in High or High-Medium Risk counties with low rates of reach. A handful of counties at greatest risk are in the lowest reach group.

The four counties ranked as the highest risk for poor school readiness Harmon, Tillman, Texas and Adair have the lowest reach of all High Risk counties. For the High-Medium Risk group, two counties Beaver and Harper have the lowest reach. Significant, positive correlations were found between risk groups and reach for overall and education reach; however, there is no significant relationship between risk and reach for the child care indicators.

NEXT STEPS The Oklahoma School Readiness Reach-by-Risk Report is intended to be used as a tool for decision making related to policy and distribution of limited resources. It is the aim of DHS to produce annual updates to the report in order to monitor county levels of risk for poor school readiness and the extent to which children at greatest risk have access to quality early child care and education programs. Next steps specific to data collection include efforts to understand capacity restrictions of programs offered statewide but which may not serve children or families in each county. This will provide insight into the extent to which un-served counties stems from lack of need or from limited capacity due to staffing shortages, such as full caseloads or unfilled staff positions.

Table 32. Summary findings: Oklahoma children in lower reach counties by risk group

Risk level Number of counties Number of Low to Medium-

Low Reach counties

Number of children (0-5) in lower reach

counties1

Percent of all children 0-5 in

Oklahoma

High Risk 19 7 14,214 4.5%

High-Medium Risk 19 6 70,369 22.2%

Medium-Low Risk 18 11 27,345 8.6%

Low Risk 21 15 58,250 18.4%

77 39 170,178 53.8% 1Source: US Census 2010


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APPENDICES: Risk and Reach Data

APPENDIX 1: POPULATION UNDER AGE 6 BY COUNTY APPENDIX 2: RISK INDICATORS, DATA SOURCES AND DESCRIPTIONS APPENDIX 3: SRRI OVERALL SCORE, RANK, AND QUARTILE BY COUNTY APPENDIX 4: SRRI OVERALL AND COMPONENT SCORE BY RISK GROUP APPENDIX 5: RISK INDICATORS BY COUNTY AND INDICATOR RANK APPENDIX 6: NUMBER OF INDICATORS BY RISK LEVEL APPENDIX 7: CORRELATIONS AMONG RISK INDICATORS APPENDIX 8: REACH INDICATORS, DATA SOURCES AND DESCRIPTIONS APPENDIX 9: COUNTIES BY REACH AND RISK GROUPINGS APPENDIX 10: REACH INDEX SCORE AND QUARTILE BY RISK GROUP APPENDIX 11: PROGRAM REACH: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION APPENDIX 12: PROGRAM REACH: CHILD CARE APPENDIX 13: PROGRAM REACH: HOME VISITATION APPENDIX 14: NOTES APPENDIX 15: REFERENCES


Appendix 1. Population under age 6 by county

POPULATION UNDER AGE 6 Nation 24,258,220

Oklahoma 316,500 Latimer 796

Adair 2,006 Le Flore 4,133

Alfalfa 325 Lincoln 2,699

Atoka 1,097 Logan 3,398

Beaver 480 Love 751

Beckham 2,003 Major 584

Blaine 934 Marshall 1,260

Bryan 3,368 Mayes 3,423

Caddo 2,448 McClain 2,964

Canadian 10,325 McCurtain 2,795

Carter 4,025 McIntosh 1,282

Cherokee 3,722 Murray 1,094

Choctaw 1,274 Muskogee 5,886

Cimarron 221 Noble 940

Cleveland 20,296 Nowata 749

Coal 455 Okfuskee 918

Comanche 11,272 Oklahoma 65,696

Cotton 484 Okmulgee 3,187

Craig 1,040 Osage 3,535

Creek 5,327 Ottawa 2,631

Custer 2,270 Pawnee 1,274

Delaware 2,896 Payne 5,339

Dewey 368 Pittsburg 3,462

Ellis 343 Pontotoc 3,072

Garfield 5,458 Pottawatomie 5,730

Garvin 2,207 Pushmataha 839

Grady 4,283 Roger Mills 317

Grant 310 Rogers 6,610

Greer 379 Seminole 2,054

Harmon 287 Sequoyah 3,426

Harper 342 Stephens 3,592

Haskell 1,078 Texas 2,143

Hughes 985 Tillman 625

Jackson 2,409 Tulsa 53,584

Jefferson 532 Wagoner 6,283

Johnston 944 Washington 3,925

Kay 3,987 Washita 957

Kingfisher 1,324 Woods 631 Kiowa 680 Woodward 1,732

Source: US Census 2010


Appendix 2. Risk indicators, data sources and descriptions

RISK INDICATOR DATA SOURCE DESCRIPTION

Hispanic background

1. Hispanic ethnicity U.S. Census, American Community Survey, Sex by age, Hispanic or Latino, 2007-2011 five-year estimates.

Children under 5 years of age of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.

2. English-language learners

Mulligan, G. M., Hastedt, S., & McCarroll, J. C. (2012). First-time kindergartners in 2010-2011: First findings from the kindergarten rounds of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K: 2011) (NCES 2012-049). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: NCES. Academic year (AY) 2010-2011.

Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), academic year (AY) 2011-2012.

Children in kindergarten who were English-language learners.

Children in Oklahoma public school prekindergarten and kindergarten who were English-language learners.

3. Percent of births to mothers with less than high school diploma

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics, Natality public-use data 2007-2011, on CDC WONDER Online Database, November 2013. Low maternal education, average for 2008 and 2009. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/natality-current.html

Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). Center for Health Statistics, Health Care Information, Vital Statistics, average for 2008 and 2009. Accessed at Oklahoma Statistics on Health Available for Everyone (OK2SHARE), http://www.health.ok.gov/ ok2share

Number of live births to mothers who had not completed high school of all reported maternal educational levels. National data for states that used 2003 revised birth certificate.

Number of live births to mothers with less than 12 years of education, by county of residence.

4. Migratory children

U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts / Consolidated States Performance Report, 2010-2011.

Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), academic year (AY) 2009-2010.

Children 3 to 5 years of age who meet the statutory definition of a migratory child found in Migrant Education Programs (MEP) under Title I, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Children 3 to 5 years of age served by OSDE in the Migrant Education Program.

Family structure and economic distress

5. Children in poverty U.S. Census, American Community Survey, Age by ratio of income to poverty level in past 12 months, 2007-2011 five-year estimates. Children under 6 years of age living under 100% of the federal poverty level.


Appendix 2. Risk indicators, data sources and descriptions (cont.)

RISK INDICATOR DATA SOURCE DESCRIPTION

6. Single-parent families U.S. Census, American Community Survey, Own children under 18 years by family type and age, 2007-2011 five-year estimates. Children under 6 years of age living in households headed by single parents.

7. Young maternal age

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics, Natality public-use data 2007-2011, on CDC WONDER Online Database, November 2013. Young maternal age, average for 2010 and 2011. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/natality-current.html

Oklahoma State Department of Health. Center for Health Statistics, Health Care Information, Vital Statistics, average for 2011 and 2012. Accessed at Oklahoma Statistics on Health Available for Everyone (OK2SHARE), http://www.health. ok.gov/ok2share

Number of live births to mothers less than 20 years of age of all reported maternal ages.

Number of live births to mothers between the ages of 10 and 19 of all reported ages, by county of residence.

8. American Indian / Alaska Native Race

U.S. Census, American Community Survey, Sex by age, American Indian or Alaska Native, 2007-2011 five-year estimates.

Children under 5 years of age of American Indian or Alaska Native race.

Children in child welfare custody

9. Abuse and neglect

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Childrens Bureau. (2012). Child Maltreatment 2011. Federal fiscal year 2011.

Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), state fiscal year 2012.

Substantiated cases of abuse and neglect among children under 6 years of age.

Cases of abuse and neglect among children under 6 years of age confirmed by DHS.

10. Foster care

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Childrens Bureau. (2012).

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